HYDERABAD: A four-year-old boy who was kidnapped from Osmania General Hospital on Monday evening while playing with his father in the hospital premises was rescued within 12 hours from the time of reporting. The kidnapper, identified as Shaik Rafeeq, a daily labourer, was also arrested by the Afzal Gunj police of Hyderabad city on Tuesday. As part of the rescue operation, police verified over 100 CCTV cameras spread across a 20 km stretch from the hospital to Dabeerpura railway station.
Using clues from the CCTVs, the accused was caught when he was about to board a train at Dabeerpura railway station. The child was rescued safely and handed over to his parents, said B. Balaswamy, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), East Zone, Hyderabad.
The boy, Mohd Shoheb, resides with his family at Mangar Basthi, Mallepally in the city. His parents, Mohd Saddam, a carpenter, and mother Rubeena Begum, had a petty quarrel on Monday morning due to Saddam’s alcohol addiction and other family issues. Three months ago, Saddam attempted suicide.
After the quarrel, he left home with Shoheb, saying that he was going to Osmania Hospital for treatment, but they did not return home even by late evening. Worried, Rubeena went to the hospital searching for her husband and son. In the hospital waiting hall, she found Saddam in a deep sleep, but Shoheb was missing. She woke him up, but he was clueless about the child. They searched for the child in the hospital, but there was no sign of the boy.
Later, at 10 pm, they lodged a complaint with the police, following which police registered a kidnap case and deputed special teams to rescue the child.
Analysis of CCTV cameras at the hospital showed an unidentified person carrying the boy with him. Further analysis of cameras tracking the suspect’s movements led police towards MJ Market, Boggulkunta, Kacheguda railway station, and Dabeerpura railway station.
Police said that after crossing the MJ Market, the suspect started begging for alms, showing the child, and he even bought the boy snacks and water to drink. All the way, he carried the boy with him, walking on foot until Dabeerpura. Police said his motive was to beg with the boy and make some easy money.
Hailing from Warangal, Shaik Rafeeq moved to the city a few years ago after quarrelling with his family members. Since then, he was living on footpaths and made a living by working on daily wages. The boy was handed over to his parents, and the accused was remanded to judicial custody, said Balaswamy.
